I have been roasting and baking in the scorching Arizona sun for the last 12 days. It was supposed to be a vacation., but I'm not sure how relaxing roasting to deatg was.
I digress...there will be no relaxing for the Western Conference champs, as the San Jose Sharks went back to work almost immediately following their six game loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final.
In the two weeks since Sidney Crosby hoisted the Cup, the Sharks have been keeping busy in preparation for the 2016-17 season.
- Before the ice finished melting in the Shark Tank, San Jose acquired forward Maxim Letunov and a 2017 6th round draft pick from the Arizona Coyotes for a couple of picks (2016 4th and 2017 3rd).
Letunov played at the University of Connecticut last season and led the team in scoring with 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points. Letunov finished 5th in scoring among fellow freshman while playing in all of the school’s 36 games.
Hockey Future's described Letunov's potential as...
"Long-term he will need to add strength and bulk to withstand the rigors of pro hockey but his skill set suggests he can be an effective playmaker at that level one day."
Read more at http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/maxim-letunov/#MOEOd140BABBBZ8A.99
The Sharks struck gold with Joonas Donskoi and stockpiling talent is never a bad thing. A very good, underrated move by Doug Wilson.
- Speaking of draft picks....the Sharks had five picks in this past weekends NHL Entry Draft. San Jose didn't have a first round pick because they flipped it to the Bruins for the man, the myth, the legend...Martin Jones.
Their first pick didn't come until late in the 2nd round, where they elected to take Dylan Gambrell (60th overall), a freshman at the University of Denver. The six-foot, 180-pound forward posted 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists) in 41 games with the Pioneers.
- 111th overall selection (4th round), the Sharks took center Noah Gregor. The Canadian forward amassed 73 points (28 goals, 45 assists) in 72 games in his first full season with Moose Jaw of the WHL.
From what I read, Gregor could turn out to be a steal for San Jose. He has been slowed by injury but he continues to get better while some of his better known Moose Jaw teammates get all the publicity.
- 150th overall selection (5th round),the Sharks took German center, Manuel Wieder (6' 171lbs.) who played for the homeland at the World Jr. and World Championships.
- 180th overall selection (6th round), Mark Shoemaker.
- 210th overall (7th round). The Sharks grabbed Joachim Blichfeld from Sweden with their final pick.
Judging NHL talent beyond the top few picks is often a crap shoot. Only time will tell if any of these five kids will pan out. So yeah....that was exciting.
- In other news...former Sharks forward Sergei Makarov, and NHL '95 legend, has been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Makarov played two seasons for San Jose and had 92 points in 123 regular season games.
Sergei joins Eric Lindros and Rogie Vachon in a class of leftovers. I'm not trying to be disrespectful, it just feels that way.
Here is a video of Makarov beating Lindros' Flyers with an OT goal in 1994. Enjoy!
IMO, the Sharks should wear their original jerseys again. They have such a crisp, classic look.
- Finally, The Sharks submitted qualifying offers for Tomas Hertl, Matt Nieto, Dylan DeMelo and Ryan Carpenter.
Jeremy Morin, acquired in the James Reimer trade from the Leafs, was not qualified and is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Despite the Cup Final loss, the Sharks will be all business this summer. It's obvious that Wilson isn't ready to rest on the success of this past season. It took 25 years to reach the franchises' pinnacle and nobody, especially Wilson, is willing to wait another 25 more.
San Jose Sharks Blogger • 
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